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E36 (1991 - 1999) The E36 chassis 3-Series BMW was a huge hit among driving enthusiasts from the first moment the car hit the pavement. The E36 won numerous awards over the years it was produced and is still a favorite of many BMW enthusiasts to this day! -- View the E36 Wiki

So I did a $4,000 5 month somewhat restoration on my 173k mile 1998 328i I got recently. I attempted to make a build thread, but with about 120 pictures in the whole project, it got way to long and outa control. So, here's some photos as she sits right now, and that parts list. If you got questions or comments please add them!

Car is a DD for highway AND town and a spirited driver car. Next step will be either M50 manifold/cams/tune/turbo or a fully built S52 with a turbo. Not sure yet. And better suspension.

Parts. All OEM or equivalent or better. I left most brands out unless it was relevant.

I left out some small stuff and I'm sure I forgot stuff
I did some crazy electrical work like adding fuses and a relay to the OEM box for the fan/gauges, so there is no way to tell what I added. The whole car is clean, it needs some more work but it's getting there. Some pictures

Inspiration. I just picked up a 218k mile 96 328i and I plan on restoring it. This things in sad shape inside and out but he motor and trans and all that's good. Need some fine tuning here and there. Hopefully I can come in with less than 4k$. Lol!

How does Jakobie get those bastard starter/top bell housing bolts you might ask? Socket extensions. A lot of them. Made the job easy

Success.

Trans is in my basement, time to get those mother ****ing gate pins replaced!

Got them out....

I love new parts

Got them in! Didn't use a single special tool, expect for the 3 I made.... I don't have a lot of money but I'm 18 and my time is worthless so if it comes down to it, I'm gonna make the tool before I buy it

Oil filer housing with my oil pressure sensor adapter and all that fun jazz. Custom solder connecters to blades for a better more reliable easier to service connection.

New CCV and lines going in. ICV and lines at the same time.

Traction control mod. I saw the price on that silicon boot and said screw that. I simply just removed the plate then cut the pin out with a dremel. It's clean and looks stock, and everything is plugged in so no lights. Also, it's pretty damn smooth so I bet the people with the boots aren't getting any more HP. Poor mans traction control delete

Looks good for 173k. Good enough at least. Motor will stay stock for now.

New clutch going in. F1 stage 2, lightened steel flywheel.

Fuel filter and all the lines

She's getting there!

Wait, what the **** does this plug go to? And what about this one? Why didn't I label these?

New injectors, looking pretty new. I like new.

Time to do the rear end. I like rear end work

RTAB's. That was fun. So much fun.

Subframe plates welded in. I'm not breaking another unibody.

80k mile 3.23 LSD I got for $280 local. Swapped the output flanges, bolted right in with no drama. To broke at this point to rebuild it, but it's fine.

On the right is my old cooling system setup from my last 325i. On the left is my new one for this car. Changes include better hoses (samco), a biggger fan, a fan shroud, and a much nicer system for the fans.
I wired my aux fan to turn on when the stock front aux fan turns on high, which due to my lower temp switch is 88c or about 188F. Relayed in the stock fuse box in a open shot with a 30amp relay. Power comes right off the battery, gets fused in the stock fuse box in a open slot I filled with pins and a 25amp fuse. More on that later.

Time for brakes. I like um red. All new slotted rotors, stoptech pads, new fluid, stainless lines.

Adding new pins to open slots in the oem fuse box for a clean install for the gauges and the fan.

Same dealo with the relay.

Can you spot the two fuses I added, one for the fan and one for the gauges? How about the relay for the fan? I like clean wiring

Swapped out the 11 button OBC for the 18. Easy as hell if you are good at wiring. I had to add a few pins and such, but the whole job is clean.

18 button moved and mounted with custom aluminum brackets, and added my prosport gauges from my old car.

Traded my DS2's + cash for 5 style 30's that needed new tires. I am strangely in love with the style 30. Whatever, we all got our on tastes, mine is for the style 30. Got some Hankook V12's for them.

Interior. Went two tone, black seats in a dove gray interior = sex

Got the cooling system in, this is how I bleed it lol. Got it perfect first shot.

Bam. Passed emissions and inspection no problem.

Underhood

As she sits now.

I obviously didn't photo everything, as you can tell by reading the list of all the parts I put in. But I did cover a lot. There's a few more things to do, some cosmetic stuff a new other things but for the most part I am done the project. Hope you guys enjoy.

"Burning 2nd is a lot like vitamin tonic. Overly harsh, tastes like crap, but somewhere in all that there's good intent......just have to learn to read between the lines, actually you have to squint really hard to see the good, but its there somewhere"

Car is a DD with an LSD and no T/C. Jakobie you are the coolest 18 year old out there for doing all this work yourself and being so knowledgeable on cars at your age. You got yourself one solid DD now.

Awesome build. I'm looking forward to doing most if not everything you've done myself, and I wouldn't mind more photos.